Chapter 7: The Woman Who Knew My Mother
I couldn't breathe.
I stared at the photograph.
My mother was younger.
Smiling.
Standing beside Margaret like they were friends.
But they weren't supposed to know each other.
At least, I thought they weren't.
"My mother?""
My voice barely came out.
Richard nodded.
"You didn't know?""
I looked at him.
"Why would I know?""
Nobody spoke.
Daniel looked at Margaret.
"You never told me?""
Margaret looked nervous.
For the first time since I met her, she looked powerless.
"We had history.""
I laughed.
"History?""
I placed the photo on the table.
"You knew my mother?""
Margaret sat down slowly.
"Yes.""
"How?""
She looked at Richard.
Then at me.
"Before you met Daniel, before you knew any of us, your mother and I worked together.""
I stared.
"My mother never mentioned you.""
Her face tightened.
"Because she hated me.""
The answer shocked me.
"Why?""
Margaret looked away.
"Because of money.""
Of course.
Everything came back to money.
Richard sighed.
"Years ago, Margaret and your mother invested in a small property project.""
I listened.
"It failed.""
I looked at Margaret.
"My mother lost money?""
Margaret nodded.
"Yes.""
"How much?""
She didn't answer.
Richard did.
"A significant amount.""
I looked at Daniel.
"Was that why?""
He frowned.
"Why what?""
"Why your mother hated me?""
Margaret's eyes met mine.
"Partly.""
I shook my head.
"This is insane.""
The woman who had judged me for years had known my family before I ever entered hers.
And she never told me.
"Why did you let me marry Daniel?""
Margaret didn't respond.
That silence told me everything.
"You knew.""
She whispered:
"I knew he was like his father.""
My stomach dropped.
"His father?""
Richard closed his eyes.
"Margaret.""
"No.""
She looked exhausted.
"She deserves the truth.""
Daniel stood.
"What truth?""
Nobody answered.
Margaret looked at her son.
"Your father wasn't honest either.""
The room froze.
Daniel's face changed.
"What are you talking about?""
Richard looked away.
And suddenly I understood.
This wasn't just about Daniel.
This was a family pattern.
A cycle.
Lies passed down like inheritance.
Margaret spoke quietly.
"Your father made promises he couldn't keep.""
Daniel stared.
"Mom.""
"He borrowed money.""
Richard interrupted.
"Enough.""
"No.""
Margaret looked at him.
"You don't get to pretend anymore.""
Her voice cracked.
"You spent years acting like you were better than him.""
Richard looked hurt.
"Because I tried to fix what he broke.""
"And I tried to protect what was left.""
The argument stopped.
I watched them.
A married couple who had spent decades hiding damage behind expensive furniture and holiday dinners.
A family built on silence.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
Again.
I answered.
"Hello?""
A woman's voice.
"Emily Carter?""
"Yes.""
"This is the hospital records department.""
My heart jumped.
"Hospital?""
The woman paused.
"I'm calling about your mother's old medical file.""
I frowned.
"My mother passed away years ago.""
"I know.""
The woman's voice softened.
"That's why this is unusual.""
I gripped the phone.
"What do you mean?""
"There was a sealed note attached to her file.""
My breathing slowed.
"A note?""
"Yes.""
"Who wrote it?""
The woman hesitated.
Then:
"Your mother.""
I looked at Richard.
At Daniel.
At Margaret.
"What does it say?""
Another pause.
Then the woman said:
"She wrote that if anything happened to her, you should never marry Daniel Carter.""
The room disappeared.
I couldn't hear anything.
Not the Christmas music.
Not the voices.
Nothing.
My fingers tightened around the phone.
"Can you read it to me?""
The woman hesitated.
"I'm sorry, but the note says it can only be opened by you in person.""
"Why?""
A pause.
Then:
"Because your mother believed someone close to Daniel was responsible for what happened to her.""
My blood ran cold.
"What happened to my mother?""
The woman answered quietly.
"She didn't die from the illness listed in the records.""
I stopped breathing.
"What?""
"The file was changed.""
My knees felt weak.
"Who changed it?""
The woman whispered:
"The person who signed the amendment was...""
The call cut out.
I stared at the phone.
"What?""
Nobody moved.
Then the screen lit up.
A new message.
A name.
May you like
The sender was identified.
Margaret.
